To Mike on Amma's Onam Message

[Guest guest]

Mike wrote:

 

Excerpts from Amma's 2005 Onam Message

 

http://www.amritapuri.org/teachings/message/onam2005.php

 

We Can Create a World Like Mahabali's

Excerpts from Amma's 2005 Onam Message

 

15 September 2005 -- Amritapuri

 

There is a saying in Malayalam: Maveli nadu vaneedam

kaalam manushar ellavarum onnu pole. ["During the time

when Mahabali ruled, everybody lived as one."]...In Mahabali's time

.... (all) were steadfast in dharma. There was no stealing, no

cheating or betrayal of trust, not even a trace of

lying—this is what is meant by, "Everyone lived as

one." When a ruler and people are living dharmic

lives, then everything in the three worlds becomes

their own...

 

It is said that Mahabali comes on the day of Onam to

visit his subjects. This also means that, at least on

the day of Onam, he wishes to see everybody leading a

dharmic life. Sharing our possessions with

others--this is the spirit behind the Onam

celebrations.

 

 

 

Dear Mike ~ ah, well, I am behind again ... but I wanted to thank you for

posting these excerpts of Amma's Onam message. There is so little I know about

Hindu celebrations, yet I know they have great meaning. A friend of mine who

is Dine (Navajo) invited me to a dinner celebrating her daughter, Jasmine's

completion of the Kinaalda ceremonies, which mark the passage of a girl from

girlhood to womanhood. When I read the Onam message, it reminded me of the

Native American "give away," a great tradition among many NA tribes where people

come together and just give away their possessions to other people. My

friend, April, had written that, if gifts were given, they should be simple, or

handmade, as part of the Kinaalda ceremonies is the teaching of non-materialism.

The connections between these two tradtions really struck home with me,

especially during this time when we are all striving to help the hurricane

victims. Thank you again. Jai Ma ~ Linda